| Name | Age | Sex | Injuries | Injured areas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Renee, Savio | 19 | Female | Not recorded | Not recorded |
On January 23, 1971, Renee Savio (19), a grotto beginner, was slightly injured while rappelling into the 65 foot pit entrance to the cave. She was with three others, Joe Mueller, Jin Chester, and Lee Tierney; all N.S.S. and grotto affiliated; who had come to the cave to measure the entrance for a gate. They rigged the pit for rappel and Mueller, the most experienced caver, descended. Savio followed. About one third of the way down the pit at a point where it narrowed into a vertical fissure about four feet in width, the rocks were slippery with snow. Savio slipped and apparently let go with her braking hand; hitting her head. She fell out of control for 25 feet before her fall was arrested by Mueller who was at the botton of the pit. He immediately moved the victim to cover. Jim Chester arrived at the botton 5 minutes later with a first aid kit. Although the victim was breathless for a short time, first aid proved unnecessary and the party continued on into the cave. There were no subsequent complications.
Analysis: Savio was "nervous and shakey" before the accident and probably should have been dissuaded from dropping the pit. That state of mind makes people accident-prone and when an accident does occur, nervousness coupled with inexperience, makes incorrect reactions probable. She should have instinctively grabbed harder on the rope when she slipped rather than letting go as she did. She was using only one carabiner and brake bar as a rappel rig which does not provide enough control under most circumstances. Two carabiners and 2 brake bars in tanden configuration, should have been used; and it is regrettable that her more experienced companions did not discourage her from descending on her inadequate rig. Cold weather and slick conditions, and bad technique (not leaning back enough, braking hand too far behind her), were cited as contributing conditions by Tierney and Mueller.